Ben Johnson's Play-Designing Roots Trace Back to Fifth Grade

Chicago Bears fans saw the results on Sept. 29 when the team defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 27-7. The victory relied on a 41-yard touchdown pass to Kalif Raymond that utilized a specific design choice by head coach Ben Johnson. Johnson engineered the play to allow the primary receiver to change roles in real time based on the defensive coverage.

Raymond, taking off from the slot, identified the opening and caught the ball from Case Keenum. The play worked because Johnson built in adjustments that allowed the offense to exploit voids in the Eagles' scheme. This approach has helped Chicago build one of the league's most explosive units, contributing to a 5-2 start for the season.

The methodology behind these designs originated decades before Johnson stepped onto an NFL sideline. His mother, Gail Johnson, a teacher in Asheville, N.C., first noticed the strategic thinking in her son's elementary school years. Ben, then a fifth-grader, filled his bedroom floor with pencil scribbles that Gail initially mistook for random doodles.

Gail began saving the drawings after Ben asked about missing papers. The diagrams used a code where letters like 'E' and 'T' accompanied rows of numbered circles representing players. Positions were labeled with numbers: 'QB' as 1, 'FB' as 2, and 'TB' as 3. Arrows traced complex routes that Ben explained were designed to create specific advantages against imagined opponents.

Gail transcribed the plays into a green folder labeled 'keep 'ems,' which remains in the family's ranch-style home. One specific diagram, written in her handwriting, reads 'Twins Right Rip 138 backside skinny post.' Ben's father, Don Johnson, a former high school coach, later reviewed these drawings. Don noted that Ben sought feedback on whether the plays were legal and effective, listening closely to corrections.

The family watched San Francisco 49ers games on Sundays during the 1990s, where Ben emulated quarterback Joe Montana. He asked detailed questions about penalties and play outcomes that surpassed those of the high school players Don coached. This curiosity led Ben to expand his sketches from pencil to colorful marker drawings, including misdirection plays and angled routes that resulted in touchdowns in his conceptual designs.

Johnson's experience in professional football began as a graduate assistant at Boston College before he moved to Miami and eventually called his own scheme for the Detroit Lions. His play-calling reputation grew through unconventional designs, such as 'Stumblebum,' a trick play that led to a 21-yard touchdown for Detroit against Chicago in late December 2024. Bears general manager Ryan Poles watched that game and cited Johnson's ability to create openings as a key factor in hiring him.

Poles described facing Johnson's offense as a challenging experience for defenses. He noted that Johnson and Kyle Shanahan are two playcallers who make opponents feel helpless due to the number of open receivers they create. Johnson now applies those early principles in Chicago, relying on a system where every player is involved in the scheme's execution.